"Tal, Lady Bina,” said he.
"Tal, fellow,” said she.
"Do not approach him too closely,” said Grendel.
"I fear the oaf not,” said she.
Lady Bina, to the extent practical, was robed. She was not sandaled, but she was robed. Cloths had been found, or stolen, with which she was now attired. She was unfamiliar with the cumbersome intricacies of the usual Robes of Concealment, their arranged foldings, the abundant drapings, and such, which vary from city to city, but she had simulated something akin to them, doubtless with the aid of Grendel, who would have been familiar with such things from his abortive venture to Gor, that in which he had failed Agamemnon, as he had not been accepted there as human. A hood was about her head, loosely, but she was not veiled, though something like veiling was about her neck, and might presumably have been emplaced as veiling.
"Do not approach him too closely,” warned Grendel.
But Lady Bina came to stand before Cabot, and looked up at him.
"You are robed,” said Cabot.
"Certainly,” said she, “as I am free."
"I recall you,” said Cabot, “as the naked, collared pet of Lord Arcesilaus, and as once clothed only in chains, in breeding shackles, as I recall."
Grendel growled, and was close at hand, a little behind the free woman.
Lady Bina regarded Cabot, fiercely, and then, with all her might, slapped him across the left cheek.
"You do not have gloves,” said Cabot. “Commonly free women, or certainly those of high caste, wear gloves with the Robes of Concealment. I might have caught a glimpse of your wrist, and noted that it might look well enclosed within a slave bracelet."
It seemed she would strike him again, but then did not do so. Rather she laughed, lightly, dismissively.
"You are not veiled,” said Cabot. “Are you not afraid that your lips might be discerned, and their nature mistaken for that appropriate for a slave?"
Grendel half roared in protest.
"Forgive me, Lord Grendel,” said Cabot.
In the full Gorean Robes of Concealment little of the free woman can be seen saving her eyes, over the veiling, and beneath the hood. In the Tahari region the veiling is often so complete that even the eyes cannot be seen, but must be surmised, as peering outward though a dark gauze. Certainly the body is to be muchly concealed. And the robes, with their length, and the nature of the sleeves, and the gloving, are designed to conceal as well as possible the speculative treasures which might be hidden within them.
To the Gorean the sight of a free woman's wrist, or ankle, can be powerfully stimulatory.
That the wrists and ankles, and the throat, and the lips, and face, of a woman of Earth can be commonly seen is taken by most Goreans as evidence that they are worthy, at best, if anything, of being the slaves of Gorean free persons. And certainly these barings much ease the work of the Gorean slaver plying his trade on Earth. Such acquisitions are fully bared, of course, when sold. Only a fool, it is said, would buy a woman clothed.
"No,” she said. “If I were veiled my beauty would be concealed, and it is the means by which I will bend men to my will."
"We each have our weapons,” said Cabot.
She laughed, merrily, and then, as though first noticing the slave, she said, “What have we here?"
"Head down,” said Cabot to the slave, and she lowered her head.
"How scrawny she is,” said Lady Bina.
"Scarcely,” said Cabot.
"I wonder what men see in such things,” said the Lady Bina.
"They have their purposes,” said Cabot.
"What a skimpy garment,” said the Lady Bina. “How bared she is! She might as well be naked!"
"It is a slave tunic,” said Cabot.
"And there is something on her neck, is there not?” said the Lady Bina. Then she said to the slave, “Lift your head, girl!"
The slave lifted her head, quickly, frightened, looking straight ahead.
"Why it is a metal collar,” exclaimed the Lady Bina, as though astonished. “And how closely it encircles her neck!” she said. She then walked about the slave, and parted the hair at the back of the slave's neck, for one may handle slaves so, and the slave, frightened, remained unmoving, absolutely so. “And there is a lock here!” she said. She then put her hands on the collar, and tried to open it. “Why it is locked on the poor thing!” she said, as though amazed. She then came about the slave, before her, and stood next to Cabot. The slave did not dare to meet her eyes. “Surely she can take it off,” said the Lady Bina, as though concerned.
"No,” said Cabot.
"How is that?” she asked, as though puzzled.
"It is a slave collar,” said Cabot.
"Then she is a slave?"
"Yes,” said Cabot.
"But would she not then be marked?” asked the Lady Bina.
"Brand!” snapped Cabot, and the slave, as she had been trained, shifted her weight, kneeling, to her right knee, extended her left leg, and drew the hem of the tunic to her hip.
"What a lovely mark!” said the Lady Bina.
A tear ran down the cheek of the slave.
"You may return to position,” said Cabot, and the slave, again, knelt, and gratefully, her head down.
"Perhaps you would like one like it yourself?” asked Cabot.
Grendel growled.
The Lady Bina, it seems, did not hear his remark.
"There is a legend on the collar,” she said.
"It says,” said Cabot, “'I am the property of Tarl Cabot'."
"Yes,” said the Lady Bina, “it was hard to read, in the light."
"What did she cost you?” asked the Lady Bina.
"In a way,” said Cabot, “I owe her to your cohort and champion, Lord Grendel, for I won her, in effect, on a bet, wagering that he would be successful in the arena. I won coins in this matter from Lord Peisistratus, and he generously threw her in, with the coins."
"Then she cost you nothing?"
"True,” said Cabot.
"That is what she is worth,” said the Lady Bina.
"I think,” said Cabot, “she might, exhibited naked on a Gorean slave block, in an open market, bring as much as two tarsks."
"And what would I bring?” inquired the Lady Bina.
"Free women,” said Cabot, “are priceless."
"Girl!” snapped the Lady Bina.
The slave looked at her, wildly, frightened.
"'Mistress',” coached Cabot.
"Mistress!” said the slave.
"You are worthless,” said the Lady Bina. “You are no more than an animal, a branded animal."
"Yes, Mistress,” said the girl, putting her head down.
"As you are an animal,” said the Lady Bina, “why are you clothed?"
"Master has permitted his animal a tunic,” she said.
"Remove it,” said the Lady Bina.
The slave looked to Cabot, questioningly, and he nodded, affirmatively. The desires of free women are seldom questioned.
"That is better,” said the Lady Bina, with satisfaction.
Tears sparkled in the slave's eyes, visible in the light of the small fire. One could note the path of tears on her cheeks.
"On your belly, before me,” snapped the Lady Bina, “and lick and kiss my feet!"
"Excellent,” laughed the Lady Bina.
"Lady Bina,” said Cabot, “is well learning to be a free woman."
Lady Bina did not respond to Cabot, but stepped back, a pace from the prone slave. “Stay on your belly,” she snapped. And the slave remained before her. “It gives me much pleasure to see you so,” said the Lady Bina to the prostrate slave, “for in the container, on the Prison Moon, it seemed to me that you dared to compare yourself with me, and might even have dared to regard yourself as my superior.” She then kicked some sand against the prostrate slave, who winced, but stayed as she was. “You were a naked slave then, as you are now,” said the Lady Bina. “I saw how you attempted to display yourself to this fellow in the container, how you turned, seemingly so innocently, to exhibit your figure, how you held your head, at this attitude or another, how you extended your legs, and held your arms, how you pointed your toes to curve your calves in that delicious manner which is calculated to so stimulate the interest of men, many things. You were no more than a slave, competing pathetically, and unsuccessfully, for the attention of a free male! Speak, slut, quickly, or be beaten!"